Hunted in Every Direction
by DarkestWolfx
Summary: After convincing Finna, she and Merlin set off to find Alator and free him from Morgana. But with the witch hunting them, can they find him before Morgana catches them both? Will Morgana's search for Emrys finally be over? Does Merlin have the power to save Camelot and Arthur? Can they even escape when they are being hunted in every direction? Spoilers for 5x10. On hold.
1. Chapter 1

Okay here is the first chapter of my new story which is continuing on from series 5, episode 10 as Merlin never found out what happened to Alator (although he probably guessed that he was dead,) so I wanted to write that. I hope you like it.

* * *

Merlin had followed Finna's signs as quickly as he could. Queen Mag had once told him about his minds eye and now Merlin was glad for it although he did need to put his trust in it a bit more than he did. It wasn't long until Merlin saw a small encampment and noticed the old woman carrying logs to the fire.

"Finna!"

"Master."

"Please don't..."

"I thought I had lost you."

"You doubted me?"

"Never." Merlin gave her a smile, but it was soon wiped from his face.

Suddenly soldiers burst out from around the trees. Merlin noticed them quickly and used his magic to throw both of them back. The third held a crossbow and arrived to quickly into Merlin's line of sight for the young Warlock to do anything about it before the arrow had hit him.

Turning suddenly, Finna used her magic to throw the man back as he drew his sword to rid them of the danger that remained before turning to merlin in panic, although she hid it very well.

Merlin looked down and saw the wooden arrow sticking out of his stomach. Only few seconds later he felt and found himself losing his balance. He place a hand on Finna's shoulder to try and keep on his feet and she placed a hand on his arm.

"Lie back," Finna told him as she carefully helped him to lay down on the ground, "They won't be alone." A moment later she pulled the arrow out of Merlin's stomach and chucked it onto the ground beside them.

"Morgana must not find you." She told him worriedly as she looked at the trees ahead of her.

Merlin drew his sword and carefully placed it in the ground beside them before using it to pull himself up onto his feet, so that they could try and get away before Morgana arrived with more soldiers.

"Where can we go?" He asked.

"There's an old watchtower on the other side of the valley," Finna replied, "Can you walk?"

"Yeah. I think so." Merlin answered before they started to walk off towards the watchtower.

"It's not far." Finna told him

Mordred had kept his word to Merlin and told the other Knights that he had escorted the servant back to the bridge, so that he would be there for Arthur in the morning. None of the Knights argued to this which Mordred was thankful for, even though he had planned a story in case they had asked further.

* * *

"We should keep moving," Percival called out from the front of the ride to the rest of the Knights, "The tracks keep going this way." The Knights did continue forward and Mordred knew that it was only a matter of time until they found the old woman again.

Gwaine had started talking again about them hurrying up and finding her, so that he could have his celebratory drink in the tavern before he started trying to convince Leon and Percival to join him.

Eventually the other two Knights would say yes and Gwaine would turn to Mordred and start trying to get him to come along as well.

Or though Mordred had sworn to serve Arthur, he did not think that capturing this women would give him any cause for celebration.

* * *

Merlin's back rested against the bark of the tree and the Warlock held his sword beside him, ready for when Finna returned, so that they could set off again.

Finna was very caring and was doing her best to get him to safety and keep him alive (something that Merlin knew from his experience with Arthur while being chased wasn't easy) and she was doing a good job of it.

The older woman returned a few moments later in haste and spoke to him quickly, "It's safe are you ready?"

Merlin used the sword and the tree to pull himself up onto his feet and Finna supported him once he had moved away from the tree and they set of for the watchtower that could be seen from the distance.

* * *

Morgana looked at the three dead men in slight annoyance. She didn't expect that Finna was young, but more of an older person like Alator, however she seemed to be doing a very good job of outwitting Beuron's soldiers.

"There are no wounds." Beuron commented a moment later as he bent down by one of his men.

"There wouldn't be." Morgana replied, venom seeping through her voice as she looked around the small abandoned camp. Suddenly she spotted something. Bending down, she removed her glove and ran a finger over it. She smiled at the red blood that coated her finger.

"She's been hit. Bring your men." She ordered Beuron as she pulled her glove back on and started to walk away from the camp. Finna seemed to be doing a very good job of outwitting her, but could she keep that up with an injury? Morgana thought not.

* * *

Merlin stumbled as he and Finna entered the watchtower, but Alator's faithful servant once again helped him and they turned the corner to start the treck up the numerous amount of stairs.

Merlin used both his sword and the centre column of the stairwell to help himself get up them as quickly as possible. Finna remained behind him to insure that he didn't fall back for that - with him in his injured state - would most likely kill him almost instantly especially if his neck broke in the fall.

The servant couldn't make it up all of the stairs and collapsed eventually. Finna stopped and watched over him carefully.

"How did you know of this tower?" Merlin asked her curiously for he nor Arthur even had see this tower before.

"When you have spent a life time running you know all the places to hide." Well that explained why Arthur didn't know about it then didn't it.

"Running from... Arthur?" Merlin found himself taking in deep breaths to allow him to speak out loud now and he struggled for a moment to even speak the Kings name.

"And from his Father before him." Finna replied.

"It won't always be like this. Things will be better." Merlin told her.

"That is why I was sent... to help you make it so."

Merlin was going to say something else, ask about Alator, but then He heard distant shouting and barking. Morgana had found them. And here they were trapped. Finna helped him up and they continued up the stairs into a room. Merlin collapsed onto the floor and lent against a column and looked at Finna carefully as she turned her back to him as she grabbed a hold of the door.

"Why are you doing this for me?" Merlin asked while Finna closed the door.

"Without you, Emrys, Arthur cannot build the new world we all long for."

"For years the Catha have guarded their ancient knowledge, but now the time has come to pass it on to you. Only you can carry their hopes into battle."

"How can I do that?" Merlin asked.

"Here. Guard it carefully." Finna brought out a little box with engravings on either side and placed it in Merlin's hand, "It will help you in the dark days to come."

"Thank you."

* * *

Morgana marched into the watchtower before turning to face Beuron's army when she reached bottom of the stairs.

"I want her taken alive, do you understand? Alive!" She ordered as the soldiers ran up the stairs in front of her to find Finna with herself and Beuron following behind them all.

"There is something else. Something Alator himself wanted me to tell you. Do not make the same mistake as Arthur…" Dread edged into Merlin's feelings as he pre-empted what she was going to tell him, "Do not trust the Druid boy."

Merlin said nothing as he flittered out of consciousness. A sudden loud bang jolted him back to his senses and Finna rose from her position in front of him, looking over her shoulder at the wooden door as she helped the young servant up. The sounds of barking getting closer with every passing second.

Finna helped Merlin up the next set of stairs and though the door. The moment she let go of him, he fell forward: the sword scrapping along the ground.

"You must go on." Finna told him while leaning against the door.

"There's nowhere to…" Merlin replied, although being as out of breath as he was

"There's a roof, you will be safe there."

"How?" Merlin asked.

"They think I am alone," Finna replied, "Once they have me, they will go."

"I won't leave you, Finna. We fight them, together." Merlin told her while using the sword to get back onto his unsteady feet.

"No. If Morgana sees us together she will know who you are. That must never happen." Finna told him as she walked over to stand by his side.

"Finna please…" Merlin pleaded.

"It is my destiny, Emrys, to serve you until the end. I could wish for nothing more." Silence fell between the pair and the constant barking of Morgana's dogs and the heavy footsteps of the soldiers was the only noise to filter through to their ears. Merlin was the first to break the silence.

"Answer me one last thing." Merlin said simply while looking at his friend.

"Anything." Finna answered.

"Where's Alator?" Merlin questioned.

"Morgana is keeping him locked up in order to find out who Emrys is. She knows that Alator can tell her such a thing."

"Then we have to free him." Merlin replied before heading towards the door, but Finna lightly grabbed a hold of his arm and pulled him back.

"If you try to free him, then Morgana will find you, she'll realise that you are Emrys."

"And she won't find me or realise that if we stay here?" Merlin asked as the sounds of once distant shouting and barking became closer and louder. It would only be a matter of time before Morgana found them both here.

Finna looked over her shoulder before looking back at Merlin, "You must go now."

"I can't just leave you, Finna."

"We've been through this," Finna stopped speaking and looked Merlin in the eye. The Warlock could already see so much in her eyes. Eventually Finna picked up her sentence once again, "I'll be alright."

"You might be, but I don't think I can make it to Alator on my own." The young servant told her (already knowing what her response would be to that,) in one last desperate attempt to convince her not to stay here on her own.

"No, you mustn't go to him! You must return to Camelot!" Finna insisted.

"Finna if I go back to Camelot now, I will never forgive myself if Morgana captures you. Arthur has six men out searching for you as well. If we find Alator he can help us and he can carry the Capha's hopes into battle like he's meant to." Merlin pleaded once again and this time something in Finna's facial features shifted.

The shouts and barking were a lot closer now and Merlin began to think that he could hear footsteps coming up the final set of stairs. Finna seemed locked in thought for a moment before she turned to him.

"There's only the roof left and Morgana will keep heading up until she finds us. Even if we wanted to go to Alator we couldn't. We have no way out now." Merlin had forgotten about the roof while he had been trying to convince Finna to leave with him. Now that she had reminded him The Warlock gave a smile and Finna wondered what he had planned from the look on his face.

* * *

Morgana stormed through the doorway into the empty room and growled under her breath. She was still being outwitted. Her shoes clicked against the floor as she walked across the stone tiles to the wooden door. She smiled wickedly as she turned around to face Beuron.

"Up here. It leads to a roof. She'll have no escape this time. Order your men to keep as quiet as possible and shut the door behind them."

Morgana made her way as quietly as she could up the stairs and was followed by Beuron and the few men who had come further up the watchtower with them.

One thing that Morgana didn't know was that she was smiling for no reason.

* * *

Merlin and Finna stood still and silently while Morgana talked to the men following her before they headed up the stairs and to the roof like Finna had thought she would.

Carefully the pair came out from their hiding place and made their way out of the room. Once they were out Finna carefully shut the door and as a little extra obstacle used her magic to lock it behind them.

Down the stairs stood two more soldiers, who spotted them almost instantly. Finna made her way down in front of Merlin, using her magic to throw the men against the wall and protect Emrys to the best of her ability just like she had promised Alator that she would.

Three more soldiers stood at the entrance to the watchtower with a few dogs. Finna used her magic to throw back two of them, but she couldn't get the third as well, so Merlin took care of him to which the older lady was grateful.

"We must hurry Master." She told him.

"Please don't call me that." Merlin added in between although he didn't think it would make that much difference to what Finna called him.

"Morgana was holding Alator over this way." Merlin allowed the sorceress to lead him in the right direction as he stumbled and used the sword and whatever else he could grip a hold of to help him stay up and get to Alator.

* * *

Mordred had of course been right and once Leon and Percival had agreed to go to the tavern if they succeeded, the Knight had turned on Mordred who - for the simplicity of it - had said yes straight away.

By now it was getting too dark to see, so the six Knights decided to stop and set up camp. Mordred volunteered to take the longest shift of watch possible and no one argued to that point either.

The young Druid rested his back against a tree watching over the sleeping Knights and flickering fire in front of him. He was beginning to wonder if he should have let Merlin go alone or let him go even. Merlin was Emrys and he knew that. Mordred also knew that he had promised Merin that his secret was safe with him.

But this was one of those - very few - times in his life where the young Knight sat and thought. What, where or even who was Merlin in such a rush to get to?

Mordred didn't have a clue, but some strange nagging sensation at the back of his head told him that following Merlin would have lead them to the answer of this mission.

* * *

The morning was approaching fast, but Merlin and Finna had still yet to stop moving. For they knew it would not take Morgana long to unlock the door and pick up their trail again and nor would the Knights hesitate to pursue them either.

Finna was keeping a close eye on Merlin as they made their way across the grass covered plains. The young Warlock was tripping over his own feet and had become more pale than he was when she had first met him. He looked to be shivering and the blood from the wound hadn't stopped, but had only been stemmed slightly by the pressure that Merlin's hand was applying, however Finna knew in his current state that he wouldn't be able to keep any of this up for much longer.

And all of this journey could all be for a dead cause. Which was – of course – exactly what the pair didn't know. Another thing that neither of them knew: they were being hunted in all directions.

* * *

Okay well that is the first chapter. I hope to upload the second chapter tomorrow or Sunday, but more likely tomorrow since I've almost finished it. Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, favourited and alerted my other story _'Stacks of Guilt'. _I hope to keep writing more stories as I said I would. Please vote on my poll, please favourite, alert and review and thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry that this chapter is up so late, I've only just finished school. Thanks so far for all of the alerts, favourites and reviews on this story so far. They mean a lot to me. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

By now Merlin's balance was failing him and he was relying strongly on Finna and the sword to keep him up right and on his feet. His vision was blurring at the edges and the pain in his was getting worse.

"It's not far now," Finna told him, "Morgana was keeping him captive just over this next hill."

* * *

Gwaine was busy complaining again as they rode along the woodland path. Mordred let a sigh escape his lips as bordem swept over him. He was just thinking about asking Gwaine to shut up when Leon called out to everyone.

"Look there."

"What is it?" Mordred asked as he kicked his horse forward to get a closer look.

"It looks like a campsite of some kind." Percival replied.

"Well let's take a look then." Gwaine moved his horse forward and stopped at the outer set of trees before dismounting and walking forward. The other five Knights followed suit.

Sir Leon looked around and the three dead men around the edges and called the other two Knights who had accompanied them with a hand guesture, "Check for injuries." Leon and the other two Knights moved to one man each.

Percival made his way over to join Gwaine who had bent down by an extinguished fire and was already feeling how cool it was and picking at the ashes.

"The fires been out for a while." He announced to the other Knights around him before turning to Percival who was looking in the direction of some abandoned wood.

"Someone dropped those in a hurry," He pointed out as Leon and the other two Knights made their way over to them.

"Well," Sir Leon spoke up, "Whoever was here managed to take out these three without any weapons."

"There're no injuries?" Mordred enquired.

"No injuries," Leon replied, "None what so ever."

"They used magic then." Gwaine stated as he and Percival stood back up.

"But they wouldn't have come alone," Percival added, "We should find their tracks and see which way they went." It was only a moment after Percival said that, that Leon found not only the tracks of someone on foot, but also horse tracks.

"I don't think we're the only ones after this woman." Leon called back as the others brought their horses over to join him.

"Look there's two of them on foot." Percival pointed out as he looked at the tracks.

"Do you think it's the same person that helped her before?" Gwaine asked.

"It's got to be," Leon commented, "Who else would help her?"

Mordred had followed behind the others and was looking at them, rather than paying attention as to where he was going and found himself tripping over a stone. He caught his balance soon enough, but he then bent down onto his knees to rub his now sore toes. However he was distracted from doing that when he got a closer look at the rock that he had hit his toes on.

"Wait!" The youngest Knight called out to the rest of the party, who all turned to face him in confusion considering that they were ready to set out and continue to follow the trail.

"What is it Mordred?" Gwaine asked, "Found something interesting on the floor have you?"

"Yes. This rock," Mordred replied while gesturing to the rock with his head, "There's blood on it." To prove this he raised his right hand for the Knights to see. As the others moved towards him, Mordred rose back onto his feet and grabbed the reins of his horse once again.

"She's been hit then." Percival stated.

"One of the men over there did have a crossbow." Sir Leon added as Mordred let his gaze flick between the other Knights that he was with.

"She can't have gotten two far then," Gwaine commented, "She was old looking and slow when we first saw her and injury would make her even slower."

"Yes, but she had help in getting away before," Percival reminded the others, "What if they are still with each other or if they have arranged a place to meet?"

"Then let's get going. We've been away from Camelot for long enough." Gwaine told them as he walked over to his horse and remounted. Percival, Leon and the other two Knights followed suit and they started to head off.

And with a small roll of his eyes, Mordred followed as well.

* * *

Morgana's new 'home' had now come into their line of sight and Merlin breathed a sigh of relief at most of their journey finally being over as he felt like collapsing down onto the ground now. The energy was leaving his body quickly - and the same could be said for the life - as they continued to travel.

Each time he had to lift his foot he seemed to never be able to put it down stably again without a struggle.

He had considered- briefly all be it - of calling Kilgarrah, although he had decided against it considering that the Knights and Morgana were following them.

"It's not too far now," Finna spoke, "We'll get Alator and then he'll be able to help you."

Merlin couldn't reply to that with anything but a nod of the head to acknowledge the small shred of conversation. For a single word could take up his last breath.

* * *

The more Mordred thought about it, the more his head hurt. Everything was beginning to piece together inside of his mind and every part of the picture was becoming clearer: slotting into place like puzzle.

He had been thinking of Merlin.

Merlin was of course a friend, he was Emrys, the one who would help Arthur to unite the lands of Albion and bring magic back to the land. Mordred (being a Druid) had stood by keeping that identity a secret, especially from Morgana. But now things suddenly seemed different.

After protecting Merlin's identity and remaining a loyal friend to him and to Arthur he was being asked to hunt someone with magic that was able to keep running.

Merlin kept running.

The puzzle was completed when Mordred thought even more about what they had seen at the campsite. The blood, the soldiers, the magic - the magic.

Mordred had sensed it. He had sensed two types of magic. Their was magic like that of Morgana's, that of a High Priestess and that of Merlin.

Merlin was the second person who had been in conversation with her.

Merlin was the second person who was running away from them.

Merlin was the second person.

But Merlin wasn't Mordred's concern at the moment: Arthur was.

The King had sent him out to chase someone who had magic, someone who had only come to talk to Merlin and someone who - from what Mordred knew - had done no wrong to anyone in Camelot other than to have magic.

After years trying to find his true place in this cruel and dark work, Mordred finally realised that he had known it all along.

The puzzle was completed.

* * *

Morgana was furious to say the least as they rode back to the building that she used as a hideout for the time being. Not that she would have to hide for much longer: she would be the winner of the war that she .

It had taken her a bit longer than it should have to notice the tracks in the earth, but when she did she smiled before kicking her horse forward and ordering Beuron and his men to follow her.

* * *

Finna was supporting most of the young Warlock's weight now as they made their way towards where Alator had been taken by Morgana. Finna knew that she had lied slightly to Merlin a little earlier when she had told him that their journey was almost over, but what else was there that she could say.

Merlin was slipping out of time and could barely even register anything now, but his magic was helping him to keep going and register the most important things.

Like the sudden beat of hooves and barking.

Horses hooves and barking dogs. Footsteps and shouting.

"Wait." He suddenly stood up straighter and stopped Finna from walking any further forward. Merlin focussed as much of his magic as he could and shut his eyes.

"Master-" Finna had continued to say something else, however Merlin had blocked it out in order to focus on the more important task ahead of him.

Suddenly trees and fallen branches were passing him by in a mystical air. A little way back Merlin saw Morgana making her way towards them, chasing them: hunting them.

"Morgana..." He breathed, "She's found our trail we need to keep moving."

"There's no where else that we can go." Finna replied, her tone carrying a sense of panic now.

"Well we have to do something." Merlin told her.

"There's always the option of you leaving me here and carrying on."

"And I've already said no. Besides I don't think I could get to Alator on my own now anyway."

"Then let's go this way." Finna told him before helping him towards the trees and using her magic to place the black triangle symbol on the tree once again before they continued on.

This had to work or they would be completely doomed.

* * *

Okay I hope to update again tomorrow if I can finish off the last part of the next chapter and edit it in time. Please favourite, alert and review. Thanks so much for reading.


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